


Christmas Spirits (December 5)

by Kireii-yume (kireii_yume)



Series: Kireii-Yume's Christmas Advent Calendar! [5]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alcohol, Drunken Confessions, M/M, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, Young Fareeha "Pharah" Amari, even i don't really know what this is, i guess this is pining, more really gay fics for this week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-05
Updated: 2017-01-08
Packaged: 2018-09-06 17:12:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8761897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kireii_yume/pseuds/Kireii-yume
Summary: Jack Morrison is simply trying to enjoy the Overwatch Christmas party, but Gabriel seems to have something to tell him.Takes place pre-fall of overwatch





	1. Drunken Confessions

**Author's Note:**

> Hi all! This story is inspired by a prompt from this [post](http://nadiahilker.tumblr.com/post/133675726110/blakesmilitia-im-always-a-slut-for-a-christmas), and the prompt was "“we’re co workers who hate each other but you had too much to drink at the staff christmas party and admitted your love for me i don’t know how to act around you now.” Hope you all enjoy!

Gabriel Reyes and Jack Morrison had never gotten along,

They were like fire and ice. North and south. Left and right. Nothing they cared about could be decided upon with a consensus, and getting them to work together was like trying to get a Great Dane into a bathtub—it took forcing, coercing, bribing, and pleading, and sometimes even that didn’t work. Gabriel resented Jack for just about everything, it seemed, and Jack resented Gabriel for resenting him. It was totally unproductive. Useless. And the higher-ups at Overwatch had pretty much given up on trying to make the two “play nice” together. So it came as no surprise when, at the staff Christmas party, both of them were engaged in entirely different occupations.

Jack stood in the center of the room, socializing with just about everyone there, at least a bit. He wasn’t extroverted, even on a good day, but he believed in the importance of cordial relations. He said hello to Ana and McCree, chatted with Angela a little bit about the latest development in her biotic technology. At least tried to remember the names of those lower down in the company, those who handled minor things rather than going on missions. He likely wouldn’t remember them, that Jack knew, but it was the thought that counted at least, right?

Gabriel, however, simply stood in the corner, looking sullen. He held his red Solo cup in one hand, drinking indeterminate liquor, and the other hand rested on the barrel of his gun, which he had insisted on bringing, much to everyone’s objection. Anyone who tried to talk to him was given a stony glare and no response whatsoever, no matter how dogged he or she was. Ana was snubbed, Angela was glared at, and though McCree shouted at him, Gabriel would not give him time of day. He simply stood, his expression unchanging, like a statue that only stopped to take in more alcohol. Soon people started simply regarding him as part of the scenery, much like the lamp in one corner or the chair in another, and stopped trying to talk to him. Fine by Gabriel.

As Michael Buble resonated, the sound from the old stereo tinny and artificial-sounding, and everyone socialized, the atmosphere had really grown to resemble a generic Christmas, one that didn’t give away all the strange things that Overwatch did. It was normal. The tinsel that trimmed the room and the small tree in the corner sparkled in the fluorescent light, and the small LED’s that encircled the tree twinkled happily. With just a tiny bit of alcohol, enough to be tipsy but not drunk, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. McCree had even offered to dance with Angela, just for fun, and she’d said yes. The two of them danced a quick round to Jingle Bell Rock, much to the laughter of the group, and they both parted, smiling, having enjoyed themselves. It was what the Christmas season was for, after all, and Jack grinned. Seeing everyone so happy was rare but incredible at the same time, and even Gabriel acting strange couldn’t change that.

Speaking of, Gabriel’s corner had suddenly emptied out. It sat ominously empty, free of the vengeful spirit that had once occupied it. Some might be relieved, but Jack liked to know just where threats to his person were, and Gabriel certainly counted as one of those. He whirled around, scanning the room, but he was nowhere to be found. Maybe he’d left? Gabriel certainly didn’t seem to have any particular attachment to the party; that was a real possibility. But that didn’t ease any of Jack’s trepidation. Surely Gabriel would just appear out of nowhere to cause some mischief or damage or…

“Hey, Jack.” Jack whirled around and saw Gabriel, looming over his shoulder.

“What do you want, Gabriel?” he asked, trying to keep the frustration from turning his voice to a snarl.

“I have something I wish to address with you. Would you come into the hallway with me?” His words were very slightly slurred, and his words seemed much less hostile than they usually were. It certainly aroused Jack’s suspicions. Though everything within Jack told him not to, Jack decided to eschew good judgment and follow Gabriel into the empty corridor. 

“Okay, make it quick.” Gabriel stood silently, staring up at Jack, his face edging dangerously close to a smile. Jack’s heart beat faster, wanting nothing more than to leave this man that he absolutely loathed alone, but before Jack could move, Gabriel had grabbed Jack’s collar and yanked him over, so close that their chests were touching and Jack could feel the erratic rising and falling of Gabriel’s breathing. Jack prepared to struggle, prepared to fight, but suddenly Gabriel planted his lips on Jack’s, sloppily trying to pry his lips open so that the kiss could be deepened. He could feel Gabriel’s teeth and tongue inelegantly banging his lips. As the kiss lasted, lasted far far too long, Jack could simultaneously taste and smell the alcohol on Gabriel’s breath. Never in his life had Jack been so utterly disgusted with anything. He yanked away, shoving Gabriel as far away as he could, and stumbled back, gasping.

“I’ve wanted to do that for forever,” Gabriel slurred drunkenly, smiling dopily at Jack. “I love you. I’ve loved you for years. You’re best. The best. And your ass is great. Cutie pie,” he declared, poking Jack’s nose.

“Gabriel, what the…”

“Shhh, shhh,” Gabriel soothed. “Gotta tell you somethin’. Somethin’ important.” He advanced, placing his hand on Jack’s shoulder and holding it there for just a second, looking like he was going to go in for another kiss, before rushing to the adjacent trash can. He must have been really, really drunk, Jack reflected as the sounds of Gabriel retching echoed through the hallway. Or he would have reflected if he could have thought anything. Everything was gone except for a feeling of complete and utter shock. Jack stood like a mannequin, unmoving, barely breathing, still in a state of paralysis. 

What the fuck just happened?

\---  
The next morning at the Overwatch HQ cafeteria, Gabriel came in, looking disheveled and wearing a pair of sunglasses. Jack watched him go into the room, sit at a cafeteria table, and pop far more pain pills than were recommended by the instructions on the bottle. Angela would yell at him if she wasn’t busy cooking that morning. But Jack was completely and utterly at a loss for what to do in this particular situation. Should he go talk to Gabriel about the situation? Should he ignore it and hope that it was just the product of a drunken rant? Luckily, Gabriel made the decision for him, staring at Jack and gesturing firmly for him to come over.

“Speak quietly and I’ll make this quick,” Gabriel instructed, his demeanor harsh as ever. “I remember bits of the events of last night but nothing whole. What happened?” Jack tried to keep his expression neutral.

“You stood in the corner, had a…conversation with me in the hallway, and then vomited and went back to your rooms,” he replied.

“I bet I don’t want to know, but what did we discuss?” 

“Nothing of consequence,” Jack mumbled. Gabriel sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers.

“Jack. Tell me or once I can see straight I will beat you to the ground with the barrel of my gun,” Gabriel hissed. “I don’t have the patience for this.” 

“You kissed me and declared your undying love for me, then started to kiss me again but had to go and throw up,” Jack told him in a rush.

“Jack?” Gabriel asked.

“What?” Jack replied, feeling rising trepidation.

“Shoot me in the face.” Jack didn’t know how to respond to that, so he simply left Gabriel to brood, feeling more and more conflicted about what had happened the night before.


	2. Sober Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I promised this forever ago but HERE IT IS! Hope it is suitably fluffy and gay and awkward and cute!

After Jack walked away, Gabriel slammed his head against the cafeteria table, immediately regretting it. A fiery burst of pain almost blinded him as his already-aching head objected to the impact. “Fuck!” he growled, both at the pain and the general situation. This was not how he’d wanted a confession to Jack to play out. To be honest, he’d never really wanted it to play out. Plan A was never telling Jack. Ignorance is bliss, after all. Plan B was telling him in the heat of battle right before one of them died or some shit, just so he didn’t have to deal with the consequences. Plan C was flowers, something overly sappy like that. Making out with Jack while drunk off his ass and puking right after? That was so far beyond even plan Z that Gabriel couldn’t believe it had happened. Any way in existence would be better to confess than that.

And then, if Gabriel couldn’t be tortured more by the situation, he had to deal with Jack _returning_ , determined to have “a talk.” Ugh. 

“I think we need to…um…talk about why you did what you did,” Jack said, discomfort practically oozing out of him. Gabriel grumbled, glaring.

“You can’t even do that much, can you,” he growled. “I specifically told you. Shoot me in the face. And if you’ll be so kind as to examine my face, you will see that you haven’t done that. It’s a simple thing. Not hard.”

“I won’t shoot you in the face.”

“Then I don’t have time for this.” Gabriel stormed out of the room. He’d intended to be dramatic about it, but he was, after all, still half drunk, so instead of leaving majestically he ran into a table and almost fell over. So he had to settle for leaving with a blush tinging his cheeks. Hopefully Jack didn’t notice. 

\----  
Jack did, in fact, notice the blush. And he didn’t have the slightest clue what to do about it. So, when in doubt, find someone in Overwatch to ask about it. For him, the first person in sight happened to be Lena, so he walked up to her and tried to ask about the matter at hand in a way that would not be so awkward. “Um, Lena…I need to ask about Gabriel.” Lena sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Yes, he fancies you, he’s wanted to snog you for ages.” 

“Wh…what?” 

“Jack, love, it’s obvious. Remember what happened at training last week?”

\-----------  
Jack grabbed the pistol from his holster, transitioning from loading to shooting six targets in one smooth motion. He ambled out toward the paper targets and noted where they were pockmarked with bullet holes. Most were in the center, but one was a bit more off than he’d like. Luckily, that came with a vast improvement in his general time. Not the worst trial. But it could be better. Jack replaced the targets and moved back to where Lena, Angela and Gabriel were also training with their guns. They’d stopped while Jack was checking and changing his targets, so he thought he was safe.

Until Jack felt pain blossom in his arm and he let out a shout. 

Lena, who was quickest to notice something was wrong, yelled for Angela, while Jack futilely insisted that he was fine. But instead of the angelic doctor, the first to Jack’s side was Gabriel, whose hands were running up and down his body with a gentleness they didn’t know he had. “Shit, shit, shit,” Gabriel muttered under his breath, his voice shaking. 

“Gabriel. I’m fine,” Jack forced through gritted teeth. 

“I think the bullet ricocheted off a pipe on the back wall,” Lena was telling Angela. 

“Give me a moment, I’ll go get my staff. If the bleeding worsens put pressure on it,” she replied, running out of the room.

“Fuck…” Gabriel hissed as he found the wound. It wasn’t deep at all, Jack had weathered far worse, as had just about everyone in Overwatch, so Gabriel’s concern was completely unprecedented. And Lena had been the one who hadn’t checked her field of view thoroughly; it shouldn’t be his problem. Yet Gabriel was the one running for a first aid kit, putting pressure on the wound. 

“Gabriel, really, I’m fine.”

“Shut up. Don’t move your arm. You’re going to hurt yourself.” And Gabriel stayed like a mother hen, ten minutes after Angela had proclaimed him healed and told him that he was fine to continue training. 

\---  
“That..doesn’t…prove…”

Come on, Jack,” Lena reprimanded, rolling her eyes again. “It’s bloody obvious.”

“That was one time.” Again, Lena sighed. “McCree!” she called across the room at the cowboy who had just entered. Jack groaned.

“Did’ja need me?” McCree asked as he approached, chewing on the end of a cigar. 

“Does Gabe fancy Jack?”

“Oh, yeah. You didn’t know? Shit, partner, you’ve gotta open your eyes.” Jack threw his arms in the air.

“Prove it.” 

“Cafeteria the other day,” McCree said simply. “Remember?”

\---  
“Oh, sorry,” Jack said as he took his hands off the plate that Gabriel had also been grabbing. His hand had fit over Gabriel’s nicely, so he didn’t quite notice anything was wrong until a second too late. Yet Gabriel didn’t respond. He didn’t even move. In fact, as Jack looked up, he noticed that Gabriel was blushing like nobody’s business. Though his expression was neutral, his grip was tight as well. “Are you okay?” 

No response.

“Gabriel?” Jack was looking around to find Angela for a second, and experimentally, he put his hand over Gabriel’s again. Immediately Gabriel hissed in a breath. “Are you alright?” 

“Fine, I’m fine,” Gabriel replied hurriedly, stepping back and going to find a seat with the plate, which was still empty. He plopped down across from McCree, his expression still vacant.

“Goin’ for a light lunch?” McCree asked jokingly, gesturing at Gabriel’s empty plate.

“I’m…not hungry.” With the screeching of his bench, Gabriel stood abruptly, placed his clean plate with the dirty ones and left the cafeteria. 

“What’d you do to him?” Jack looked over and realized that McCree was addressing him.

“I don’t know. Touched his hand and he just seized up.” McCree raised his eyebrows, a mischievous look on his face. 

“Well, looks like you’ve got an admirer on your hands.”

“Who?” A long pause.

“Never mind. See you at training, partner.” And with that, McCree left.

\---  
“That doesn’t prove anything.”

“Come ON, anyone could see it!” Lena exclaimed.

“Really. Anyone,” Jack deadpanned. 

“Yep. Here, lemme show ya,” McCree offered. He looked around, and much to his delight he noticed little Fareeha had wandered into the room. Ana’s young daughter spent a lot of time around Overwatch, and the nine-year-old enjoyed talking to everyone there. She picked up more words than anyone could keep track of and she seemed to observe anything. “Hey, Fareeha!” he called, and she skipped over to the group of three adults. 

“Hello!” she chirped. 

“So Fareeha,” Lena asked gently. “How does Gabe feel about Jack?” Fareeha gave Lena a look of confusion.

“See?” Jack asked.

“I thought everyone knew,” she said. “Gabe wants to kiss Jack. On his mouth.” Lena and McCree gave Jack a pointed look. “Wait, Jack didn’t know?” The three shook their heads. “Shit,” Fareeha said, impressed. Jack and Lena did a double take, while McCree laughed, because the slight southern burr she said that word with told him exactly where she’d picked it up. 

“Fareeha, what did you just say?” Ana asked from across the room, her voice verging dangerously on ‘Mom territory.’

“Nothing, mama!” Fareeha dutifully replied. “So do you want to kiss Gabe on his mouth? It would make him happy.”

“He sort of already did that,” Jack mumbled. Fareeha squealed and Lena and McCree stared at him incredulously. “You didn’t hear that!” he ordered.

“But do you WANT to?” Fareeha asked. 

“No. Ugh,” Jack immediately replied. But that reaction felt like it happened too fast, so reflexively that it felt like he was trying to avoid something. “Um, I have to think about it.” And he left the room. 

As he walked, he thought about Gabriel. Thought about what had happened. Was he disgusted by the kiss because of Gabriel, or just the inelegant nature of a drunken makeout with one sober person? Did he really hate Gabriel, or was he just trying to avoid something? Since meeting Gabriel Jack hadn’t really been interested in anyone…but he hadn’t been around many people either…so it was hard to tell. And was he just overanalyzing this because he wondered about Gabe? Or was he actually…

His thoughts were abruptly cut off as he saw Gabriel in the other room, chatting with Angela. She was smiling, laughing at a joke he’d made. Why was Gabriel so sweet and sociable around her? Why was he that nice to her when all he gave Jack was derision and scorn? And…why did Jack care? It wasn’t as if he was dating Gabriel, it didn’t really matter to him. But as he watched Angela smile at Gabriel, something inside him ached. And he knew what he had to do. 

“Gabriel, can you speak with me a second?” he asked, politely interjecting. Gabriel glared at him.

“What do you want to talk about?” he asked, only adhering to the barest courtesy necessary.

“I need to talk in private,” Jack told him. “Can we step into the hallway?” Letting out a long-suffering sigh, Gabriel followed. 

“What is it this time?” he growled. “Finally going to shoot me in the face?” Jack ignored the comment. Adrenaline was running through his veins, he was dizzy, his heart was beating a million miles an hour. He didn’t really know what he felt, and he had to figure it out. Fast, before this newfound surge of bravery deserted him.

“I want to know something.”

“Well?” Gabriel asked impatiently, still glaring. And Jack cupped his hand on the side of Gabriel’s face, pulled it close to him, and kissed him. It started gently, but when Gabriel didn’t pull away and nothing told Jack to stop, he deepened it. This time, the kiss was elegant, soft yet intense, relaxing yet invigorating. It felt incredibly natural, and this time…it felt right. 

When they pulled apart, both of them were breathing harder. “What does this mean?” Gabriel asked, his voice husky. And…it was a bit afraid. Vulnerable. Something that made Jack’s heart ache to see.

“I…I’ve been conflicted for a long time,” Jack admitted. “Didn’t know how I felt. But I think this is right,” he said tentatively. A smile crept across Gabriel’s lips. 

“Well…I’m willing to try it,” he replied.

“Me too.”

“So does that mean we can kiss again?”

“As long as you’re not drunk,” Jack joked. Gabriel cringed, but pulled Jack close to him and kissed him again, feeling all his anger and pain melt away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Send requests for fics or headcanons to my [blog!](http://kireii-yume.tumblr.com)

**Author's Note:**

> My blog is kireii-yume.tumblr.com so feel free to send in suggestions there!


End file.
